Circles of Change: Conversations with Dr. Zara Larsen
on Change Leadership and Career Fulfillment
May 17, 2009
“Empowering a Generation to Live the Dream”
Guest: Jennifer Kushell
www.ysn.com
Anchoring Points:
1. Your Success Network is a global community of career-minded people in 140 countries, a safe on-line place for doers and dreamers to connect with extraordinarily motivational people. Our goal is to arm as many young people of the billion entering the global workforce with the tools and insight to find success according to their definition.
2. I have been doing this work for 15 years, starting at age 19 in college founding the Young Entrepreneurs Network, always helping educate and bring wonderful people together using technology. I speak to students, educators, recruiters, corporations around the world, and work with top youth organizations.
3. Our state-of-the-art career planning tools are rooted in values and behavior science, targeted to help anyone build a life around who they are, their personal brand. The PROJO (professional mojo) is a multimedia portfolio, a compelling online identity showcasing history, milestones, talents, work, and aspirations.
4. We have the first generation born with technology vs. having to adopt it, with very strong values to guide decision making. They are poised to make positive change, amidst the corrections required across the globe in business/public service.
5. Four generations are in the workforce at the same time for the first time. Paradigms and perspectives are different, on top of changing rules affecting everyone. We need to bridge a communication gap and find a happy medium, create new norms and ways of doing things and help youth, some of whom are in a “quarter life crisis” armed with high expectations, yet not necessarily equipped to find success as quickly as they thought.
6. While fluent with technology and book smarts, data shows weaker in the soft and live human interaction skills, lacking an ability to be compelling in the real world – etiquette, business writing P’s & Q’s, respect and awareness of hierarchy. Lack of context due to how they were raised (perceived lack of initiative, experiencing life in an easier fashion, instant gratification) requires dialogue and constructive criticism. Youth needs our help.
7. I believe it is actually much easier than we realize to change the course of people’s lives – a chance we have every day. When I was recently recognized as a “guru” (at age 35) it instilled in me a great sense of responsibility. I could be an evangelist all my life and it is a privilege for me to dedicate my life to this work, doing something that helps others and inspires. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
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